Joseph Initiative

Joseph Initiative focuses on delivering bulk high quality agricultural produce to East African markets. It has developed and deployed an integrated supply chain for maize that stretches from village-level farm-gates across Western Uganda to high-value regional markets.

Sector: Maize processing

In portfolio since: 2012

Location: Uganda

Ugandan farmers suffer from post-harvest loss. The company has built rural infrastructure at the farm-gate offering farmers a reliable market for their maize directly after harvest.

Joseph Initiative’s supply network is coordinated entirely on a technology platform which streamlines JI operations and coordinates network-wide supply, operational transparency and efficiency in the complex, dynamic and distributed environment of rural Uganda.

Farmers have the possibility of more than doubling their income from maize by working with JI. The company has established a formal, transparent and cash-on-delivery market that is accessible, at the village-level, to Ugandan smallholder farmers. This new, reliable and rural demand enables Joseph Initiative’s facilitation of financial and agricultural services. Access to these services catalyzes yields and improves quality of Ugandan smallholders’ produce.

The company currently sources from thousands of farmers and this number will continue to grow. In addition to the impact on farmers, the company creates job opportunities in a rural area.

JI also contributes to food security in the region by offering a consistent supply of quantities of properly processed and stored food.